Hermetically sealed tube for containing and dispensing viscous materials

ABSTRACT

A hermetically sealed tube for containing and dispensing viscous materials with a pressure gun or the like, including hermetically sealed closure means on opposite ends of the tube to prevent setting or leakage of a viscous material contained in the tube and including a plunger within the tube adjacent one end thereof and spaced inwardly from one of said closures, said one closure fracturable by said pressure gun or the like and movable into engagement with said plunger to forcibly dispense the contents of the tube through the other end thereof.

United States Patent [191 Clark HERMETICALLY SEALED TUBE FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING VISCOUS MATERIALS [75] Inventor: James Elton Clark, Orlando, Fla.

[73] Assignee: Cantop Incorporated, Orlando, Fla.

[22] Filed: Apr. 26, 1973 [211 App]. No.: 354,546

[52] US. Cl. 222/326, 222/541 [5 l] Int. Cl. GOlf 3/04 [58] Field of Search 222/326, 327,391,541, 222/386; 206/56 G [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,|06,577 H1938 Sherbordy 206/56 G X 2,11 I582 7/l936 Crewe 222/327 2,902,190 9/l959 Hosler 222/327 X June 11, 1974 3,071,294 l/l963 Galbierz 222/541 X Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant ExaminerNorman L. Stack, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmShoemaker and Mattare 5 7 1 ABSTRACT A hermetically sealed tube for containing and dispensing viscous materials with a pressure gun or the like. including hermetically sealed closure means on opposite ends of the tube to prevent setting or leakage of a viscous material contained in the tube and including a plunger within the tube adjacent one end thereof and spaced inwardly from one of said closures, said one closure fracturable by said pressure gun or the like and movable into engagement with said plunger to forcibly dispense the contents of the tube through the other end thereof.

7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUM 1 1 m4 SHEEI 10! 2 HERMETICALLY SEALED TUBE FOR CONTAINING AND DISPENSING VISCOUS MATERIALS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a hennetically sealed tube for containing and dispensing viscous materials with a pressure gun or the like.

Different types of tubes for containing and dispensing viscous materials with a pressure gun are known in the prior art, but none of the prior art tubes are hermetically sealed. Accordingly, the viscous material in the tubes sets or hardens in the tubes and leaks from the tubes during handling and storage, resulting in about four out of five such prior art tubes being rejects.

The tube of the present invention, on the other hand, has unique, hermetically sealed closure means on opposite ends thereof to prevent setting or hardening of the caulking compound in the tube and leakage of the compound from the tube, and one of said closure means is fracturable and movable into engagement with a plunger within the tube to dispense the material from the tube. Accordingly, the shelf life of the tube of the invention is significantly greater than prior art tubes and there are very fewrejects of tubes according to the invention.

The tube according to the invention is suitable for use with many different types of materials, such as: cement patching compound, latex caulk for use with latex paints, caulking compound, marine seam compound, butyl rubber sealant and caulk, roof cement, panel adhesive, construction adhesive, glaze compound for windows, and ready to use wet concrete mix. More particularly, however, the tube is intended to contain and dispense a caulking compound and is used with a conventional caulking gun. The hermetically sealed closure at one end of the tube has a removable or frangible portion which is engageable by a plunger or piston of the conventional caulking gun to separate the removable portion from a rim portion secured to the tube end and to force the removable portion against a plunger or follower in the tube spaced inwardly from the closure. Continued operation of the gun forces the removable portion and the follower through the tube toward the other end thereof to eject caulking compound from the tube.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a hermetically sealed tube for containing and dispensing viscous materials and which has hermetically sealed closures at the opposite ends thereof to increase the shelf life of the material in the tube and to reduce the likelihood of leakage of the material from the tube.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a hermetically sealed caulking tube having a hermetically sealed closure at each end thereof with the closure at the rearward end of the tube including a removable portion which is frangible from a rim portion hermetically sealed to the rearward end of the tube and which is movable forwardly through the tube under the influence of the plunger or piston of a conventional caulking gun to engage a follower or plunger in the tube spaced from the end to move the follower through the tube to dispense the caulking compound from the tube through the forward end thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a conventional caulking gun having a caulking tube according to the present invention positioned in operative relationship therewithin.

FIG. 2 is a top, enlarged rear perspective view of a caulking tube in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded fragmentary view of the elements comprising the hermetically sealed closure at the rearward end of the caulking tube and the plunger or follower.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the closure for the rearward end of the tube prior to its attachment to the tube and showing the score lines and tie points thereof.

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged sectional view of the rearward end of the caulking tube and the hermetically sealed closure therefor and plunger therein and is taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a partial view in section of a caulking tube in accordance with the invention, showing the piston or plunger of a caulking gun in engagement with the end closure at the rearward end of the tube.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, with the piston of the gun advanced an initial amount and with the central portion of the closure separated from the rim or marginal portion thereof and moving forwardly through the piston cup or plunger fitted within the rearward end of the caulking tube.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, showing the piston of the caulking gun and the removable central portion of the closure engaged with the bottom of the piston cup and urging the piston cup forwardly through the tube to dispense the caulking compound therewithin.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view in section of a modified closure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the cylindrical caulking'tube according to the invention is indicated generally at T and comprises an elongate cylindrical body 10 preferably made of helically wound paper or the like as at H and laminated inside and out side with a suitable material such as metal foil or aluminum foil or the like at 11 and 12, respectively, suitably adhesively bonded on the paper. The helically wound paper tube is of substantially conventional construction and is substantially rigid.

In FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, a closure 13 is hermetically sealed and secured to one end of the tube 10 and comprises an annular, ring-shaped marginal rim 15 in the form of a double roll seal or seam S hermetically secured to the rearward end of the tube 10, and a removable, central disc-shaped portion 16 attached to the rim 15 at a frangible weakened line 17.

The double roll seam S comprises a reversely turned end portion 18 of the body 10 with a reversely turned portion 19 of the closure 13 extending parallel thereto and contiguous therewith and an inwardly turned end portion 20 extending between the reversely turned portion 18 and the side wall of tube or body 10.

The closure 13 preferably comprises a metallic member, including the central disc-shaped portion 16 and the rim 15, the rim 15 and central portion 16 being joined at opposite ends of a cylindrical portion 21 with the central disc-shaped portion 16 joined to the cylindrical section 21 at the frangible weakened area 17.

In FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the frangible weakened area preferably comprises a slit 22 completely through the metallic member except at spaced points 23 therearound, said points 23 comprising tie points or tabs attaching the central disc portion to the rim. A thin membrane 24 made of metal foil, such as aluminum foil or the like, or other suitable material, such as paper, or a combination of paper and foil, is suitably bonded or attached to the closure 13 on the underside thereof by a suitable adhesive A; and when the closure is secured to the rearward end of a tube as seen in FIG. by means of the double roll seam S, the membrane extends over the slit 22 and into the hermetic seal S and effects a hermetic seal of the tube at said one end thereof.

As seen in FIG. 3, the central disc-shaped portion 16 and a corresponding disc-shaped portion of the membrane 24 is shown in phantom lines removed from the rim and moved toward the tube.

A cup-shaped follower or piston cup or plunger 25 is tightly slidably fitted within the tube at the rearward end thereof inwardly of the closure 13 and closely adjacent thereto. The follower 25 has a disc-shaped end wall 26 and a stepped cylindrical side wall 27 and 28, with the outer surface of the side wall 28 extending from and of greater diameter than the side wall 27 and in tight sliding engagement with the metal foil or the like 11 on the inside of the tube and with the inner surface of the cylindrical side wall 28 in axial alignment with the slit or frangible area 17 of the closure 13.

A closure 29 is also substantially identically hermetically secured and sealed to the other end of the tube 10 by a double roll seam S. A sealed nozzle N is suitably hermetically sealed and secured to the closure 29 and the tip end of the nozzle indicated in phantom lines at E in FIG. 1 may be separated or severed from the nozzle to enable caulking compound C in the tube to be ejected and dispensed through the nozzle.

Alternative to the slit 22, the frangible weakened area may comprise a scoreline or groove 30, as seen on the modified closure 13' in FIG. 9, said scoreline 30 extending around the closure at the rim and frangibly or fracturably joining the disc-shaped portion 16 to the rim The scoreline 30 does not extend all the way through the closure and accordingly, the membrane 24 is not required. A membrane 24 may be provided if desired, however. The closure is in all other respects identical in construction and operation with the closure 13.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 6, 7 and 8, the tube T is intended for use with a conventional caulking gun G having a handle H, an operating lever or trigger L and a piston rod R thereon with a plunger or piston P secured to the forward end of the piston rod R. When the tube T is placed within the gun as indicated in FIG. 1, and the lever or trigger L manipulated, the piston rod R is caused to advance forwardly by a conventional mechanism, with the plunger P engaged against the central disc-shaped portion 16 of the closure 13. The plunger breaks the tabs or tie points 23 and the underlying membrane 24, or fractures the weakened scoreline 30, and forces the removable disc-shaped portion 16, with said membrane, if present, forwardly into the follower or piston cup 25 and against the inner surface of the end wall 26 of the follower. Continued operation of the caulking gun G causes the plunger and disc-shaped portionto force the follower 25 forwardly through the tube, ejecting the caulking compound C from the tube through the nozzle N.

As noted previously, the tube 10 is also suitable for containing and dispensing any viscous material and is not limited to use solely with a caulking compound as specifically described herein.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. A hermetically sealed tube for containing and dispensing viscous materials with a pressure gun or the like, comprising a closure hermetically secured to one end of the tube closing said one end, a closure hermetically secured on the other end of said tube closing the other end of said tube, a nozzle hermetically attached to the closure at the other end of the tube through which material in the tube is dispensed, the closure at said one end including a disc frangibly attached to a surrounding rim at a plurality of spaced points around the circumference thereof, a slit through the closure immediately adjacent an inner surface of said one end of the tube and extending between each of said spaced points, a sealing membrane underlying the disc and rim to effect a hermetic sea] at the said one end of the tube,

means hermetically attaching and sealing the rim to said one end of the tube, a cup-shaped follower in the tube at said one end engaging the material in the tube and spaced closely adjacent said closure at said one end, and said disc, when removed from its rim by the gun, is positioned in "the cup-shaped follower and moves therewith in the tube until the contents of the tube have been exhausted.

2. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 1, wherein the rim is hermetically secured to said one end of the tube by a double roll seam.

3. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 1, wherein the viscous material comprises a caulking compound.

4. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 2, wherein said sealing membrane is flexible and is bonded to said closure and extends at its outer marginal edge into said double roll seam.

5. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 1, wherein the disc has a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of said one end of the'tube and slightly less than the diameter of the follower fitted within the tube so that upon engagement and removal of the disc by a plunger of a pressure gun, the disc moves axially within the follower into engagement with a forward end thereof to move the follower through the tube to dispense the material in the tube.

6. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 5, wherein the sealing membrane comprises a thin sheet of aluminum foil.

7. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 6, wherein the disc and rim of the closure are metallic. 

1. A hermetically sealed tube for containing and dispensing viscous materials with a pressure gun or the like, comprising a closure hermetically secured to one end of the tube closing said one end, a closure hermetically secured on the other end of said tube closing the other end of said tube, a nozzle hermetically attached to the closure at the other end of the tube through which material in the tube is dispensed, the closure at said one end including a disc frangibly attached to a surrounding rim at a plurality of spaced points around the circumference thereof, a slit through the closure immediately adjacent an inner surface of said one end of the tube and extending between each of said spaced points, a sealing membrane underlying the disc and rim to effect a hermetic seal at the said one end of the tube, means hermetically attaching and sealing the rim to said one end of the tube, a cup-shaped follower in the tube at said one end engaging the material in the tube and spaced closely adjacent said closure at said one end, and said disc, when removed from its rim by the gun, is positioned in the cup-shaped follower and moves therewith in the tube until the contents of the tube have been exhausted.
 2. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 1, wherein the rim is hermetically secured to said one end of the tube by a double roll seam.
 3. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 1, wherein the viscous material comprises a caulking compound.
 4. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 2, wherein said sealing membrane is flexible and is bonded to said closure and extends at its outer marginal edge into said double roll seam.
 5. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 1, wherein the disc has a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of said one end of the tube and slightly less than the diameter of the follower fitted within the tube so that upon engagement and removal of the disc by a plunger of a pressure gun, the disc moves axially within the follower into engagement with a forward end thereof to move the follower through the tube to dispense the material in the tube.
 6. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 5, wherein the sealing membrane comprises a thin sheet of aluminum foil.
 7. A hermetically sealed tube as in claim 6, wherein the disc and rim of the closure are metallic. 